Book match dispenser



May 27, 1952 B. H. LOCKE BOOK MATCH DISPENSER Filed April 10, 1951 IJNVE/VTD/PH 6M 4M llllllllillllllllll- Patented May 27, 1952 BOOK MATCH'DISPENS'ER Burton H: Locke; Fmminxhami-Mass.

ApplicationApiil -10, 1951, 'SerlarNof 220,201

(Cl!- 3i 2-M-2 3 Claims. 1

, This invention relates to improvements in'i dispensers for. book matches and is of the type that can be'mounted' onto a 'wall, or other vertical be manually dispensed as required.

'Themain object of the invention is to provide a container that can be mounted onto awallror other upright surface, and wherein a conventional box of book matches may be placed, without alteration thereto except the removal of the paper wrapper therefrom, and wherefrom the books of matches may be manually dispensed one at a time as'requireduntil the entire box of books is depleted.

Another object of the invention is toprovide -a' simple one-piece construction that can'be completely molded of plastic, glass, or the like; without further finishing requirement, and thereby afford a device that can berinexpensively produced and can thus be offered to the consumer at a relatively low cost.

In order to afiord a simple structure, I conceive to utilize the inherent resiliency of the end of the box, in which such matches are normally supplied, to prevent the'books of matches from inadverten'tly: dropping from the dispensing'aper- 'ture and to rely on the inherent limberness of the end of. the box to permit the books ofmatches to be dispensed from the aperture one at a 1 time. I further" conceive to provide means to facilitate tearing a small portion, or portions, "-from the same end of the box in order to afi'ord finger clearance holes in the box to facilitate grasping the book to be dispensed from the aperture.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 a front elevation of the dispenser with a conventional box of bookmatches shown therein by broken lines.

Figure 2 isa side elevation of same.

Figure 3 is a bottom view of same.

Figure 4 is a fragmental front elevation of same showing how thebooks of matches are dispensed.

Figure-5 'isa fragmentalside elevation of that shown in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a front elevation of a modified form of construction.

My'improved dispenser comprises a channelshaped housing l comprising a plate portion II and two outstanding leg portions l2. The outer edge l3, of each leg [2, is generally flanged outwardly in respect to the housing H) to afiord substantial abutment with a wall [4, or like mounting surface, and an aperture I is generally provided in each flanged portion It to receive mounting screws H, or the like, to secure the device against the iwall in a surface, and wherefrom the books of matchesmay '2 vertical position as shown.

"ii Ihe -area 'ericlosd by the housing l0, when mountd against-:a 'walr 'l- 4,- is of proper size to *tree'lyreceivea conventional box or book matches "I8 111 amupright"position so that' the two rows of books, which normally comprises the contents of the box -are disposed-vertically; as shown in '--broken lines iri1 'igure l.

Iheupper-end 'I9, =of housing ID, 'is' open to permit the placing of the box of matches l8 within thechannelenclosurewhilethe lower end 2010f same is at "least'partially closed to prevent the bex-from dropping-from the enclosure. The box is placed in the channel enclosure with the open face outward-end the books of matches are retaind 'in' the"box -by-the plate portion ll of the channel.

Ihe saidiowererid ro-mrnwsmg l 0, is inclined outwardlyanddownwardly for the purpose of per- *mitting the 'outer-"edgepf the lower book of matches be'manually tipped" downwardly to a position A, shown by broken lines in Figure 5, where they can'be dispensedput through an aperture- 2 i provided at "the said end'20; of housing It. 'The aperture 2 i -=i'sextended entirelyacross the plate portion |'-|,ofh ou'sing-' i 0; so that the books fronrbotlrverticalrowsgor tiers, of books can be dispensed-by tipping the outer edgeof'the bottom book in-ea'clf tier'downward and then sliding the bookout'through aperture 2 I.

A plural'ity'bf"vertically disposed slots" 22 are connected to aperture 2 l and extend a suitable distanceiupwardlyin plate H to permit a portion of fthe books in each tier to be contacted by a .*p'ersons'nngerfor'thepurpose'of'prging the" books fdownward'should" thebooks become inadvertently WdgdortithfiWise held up in'the enclosure above thedispensing aperture 2 I The slots 22 "'couldbe'replacdbya wide 'slot23 positioned at 'the"'center-6fplate i I, *as shown in" Figure 6. However; a"plurality* of "slots such asshown in Figure 1 ,=affords=' a" center guide 24 for the books whichh'elps' to"retain them within the housing "'arid'isthu's considered the preferred'con'struction.

-*As1bt;'-or-opeinng;- 25 "connects'aperturd 2 i' and extends"antaldtivlyshortdistance up the in- 'c1ined"bo'ttom"28,"-of"housing i0. The edges of slot 25 are generally substantially sharp, or serrated, or both, to render thesaid edge suitable to tear a small portion 21, to the outline of the slot 25, from the end of the box in order to afford an opening in the end of the box to clear a persons finger or thumb when grasping the bottom face of the lower' book to dispense the book through the aperture 2|. The center portion 28,

of the lower end of the match box, will spring downward sufficiently to permit the tearing thereof around the edge of slot 25.

In dispensing the lower books, the end of the match box is sprung downwardly sufficiently to permit the lower book in either tier to be dispensed out through aperture 2i, as shown by broken lines 29. After the book has been dispensed and the bottom end of the box released, the said end of the box will spring'back sufficiently to uphold the remaining books above the aperture 2| so that the next book will not inadvertently drop from the said aperture.

That is, 1

to permit the insertion of a box of book matches utilize the inherent limberness of the end of the box to permit the dispensing of the lower book from either tier and then the resiliencythereofto retain the remaining books within the-housing thereafter.

A plurality of slots 30, as shown in Figure 6, could be provided in the bottom 21, of housing 10, without departing from the invention. However, it appears that a single slot 25 would serve as well and a single slot would require only the tearing of a single portion from the-end of the box and is thus considered the preferred construction. 7

Although I contemplate molding the dispenser of plastic, or the like, it could be formedof sheet metal without departing from the scope of the invention.

I do not wish to be confined to the exact details as the same are susceptible of modification without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

By providing a structure that utilizes the end of the match box in the manner described above, I eliminate the necessity of providing other parts that will retain the books of matches in the housing and that will also permit the books being dispensed as required. Therefore, I afford a simple one-piece device that is inexpensive to produce.

I claim as my invention:

1. A dispensing container for book matches comprising a channel-shaped housing disposed to freely receive and house a conventional box of book matches against a surface when mounted on said surface, the free edge of each leg of the channel section forming said housing being formed outwardly and having means to receive support for the container against the said surface, one end of said housing being open to permit the insertion of a box of book matches .endwise within the same after the containeris mounted against the said surface, the other. end of said housing being inclined and substantially closed to prevent the box of matches from passing therethrough, a dispensing aperture extending across the outer face of said housing at the last described end thereof, a plurality of spaced slots extending longitudinally in the said outer face of said housing and connecting the said aperture, an opening in the inclined closed end of said housing and connected to the said aperture, the said opening having a suitable severing edge to facilitate severing a portion from an end of any conventional book match box that maybe inserted in the said endwise within the same after the container is mounted against the said surface, the other end of said housing being inclined and subtantially closed to prevent the box of matches from passing therethrough, a dispensing aperture extending across the outer face of said housing at the last described end thereof, at least one slot extending in the said outer face of said housing and connecting to the said aperture, at least one openingin the inclined closed end of said housing and connected to the said aperture, any said opening having a severing edge to facilitate severing a portion from an end of any conventional book match box that may be inserted in the said housing for the purpose of dispensing books of matches therefrom;

3. A book match dispenser comprising a housing suitable to support a conventional box of book matches vertically on end with the books of matches gravitated face to face in a plurality of vertically disposed rows in said box in the manner they are normally packed, means to attach said housing against a vertical support, the top of said housing being open to permit the insertion of a conventional box of book matches within the housing, the bottom of said housing being substantially covered and being inclined outwardly and downwardly in respect to said support, a dispensing aperture extending across the outer face of said housing at the lower edge thereof, and at least one slot in the said outer face of the housing, all such slots being disposed to extend upwardly from said aperture and to terminate in the said housing, at least one notch in the outer edge of the inclined bottom of said housing, any said notch being connected to the said aperture and having edges suitable to facilitate severing a portion from the lower end of any conventional book match box that may be inserted in the said housing for the purpose of dispensing books of matches therefrom.

BURTON I-I. LOCKE.

- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Aug. 14, 1895 

